Club Requiem
by TigerBlak
Summary: Harry Potter opens Club Requiem and all manner of interesting things occur. Including having one beautiful blond vampire after his neck.
1. Blood on the Dungeon Floor

Blood on the Dungeon Floor

The walls fairly shook with bass, the bodies on the floor twined around each other and one, Harry Potter, was trying to navigate amongst those lingering along the edges of the dance floor and deliver drinks. He snorted as he thought about the situation, Harry Potter, defeater of He Who Must Not Be Named and Savior of the Wizarding World, was struggling to deliver drinks. He was capable of an Avada Kedavra that could turn a dark wizard to ash, but unable to navigate his way through people.

More than one hand caressed his backside as he slid past the bodies milling around him. His newly pierced nipples tightened as they rubbed against the shirt of the man in front of him. With one arm holding a tray of drinks above his head and the other at his side, Harry, finally made his way through the crowd and to the table.

The group gathered was a mix of houses from Hogwarts; all his friends, some older than others. While not an overly large crowd; Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Draco, Susan and Ginny were sitting comfortably at one of the semi-circle booths with a _Reserved_ placard mingled amongst the shot glasses and beer pilsners. The group had been at Requiem, Harry's club, for the past hour. It was the grand opening night and one of Harry's first ventures into a muggle and wizard friendly venue. It was in fact a Bondage club/dance club. During the day classes and seminars were held and at night the club morphed into its present state. There was a fully functioning dungeon located one level down, featuring the best in equipment for play, while the dance club on the upper level had a deejay and bar that would appeal to those whose tastes didn't run to the darker side of sex.

The former Gryffindor surveyed the group and decided his friends were having a good time and would probably head to the dance floor soon. Though he knew Draco and Susan would probably ask for the keys to one of the private dungeon rooms below. Hermione and Ron were sitting side by side; the tall redhead leaned over and whispered something to the bushy-haired brunette. She blushed hotly and murmured something back to the former Keeper. Luna's eyes were glazed over as she intoned something that Neville seemed to be having trouble understanding. Ginny was rising and peeling of her coat moving to the beat of the music, intent on making her way to the floor.

Looking at Ron and Hermione made him think of his current relationship. _Not that you could call it that_, he thought to himself. He knew Ron would be proposing as soon as he had gathered enough funds to buy a proper ring for Hermione. He'd offered to lend the money to his best friend but had been turned down. The redhead had simply explained that it was, "Something I have to do to show my devotion and love to the one and only person I will love that way." Harry tried to understand what it would be like to be that devoted to someone, and then frowned when he though about his own state of affairs.

Lucius Malfoy had thrown down a gauntlet that left Harry panting, literally. But as of yet he hadn't come to collect, and the young Gryffindor was starting to get anxious. He'd considered skipping his own opening night because he wasn't sure if he was up to the task of handling the Lord of Malfoy Manor and all of his yet unanswered demands. Making sure he had the tray, Harry left his friends and made his way back to his office behind the bar. Throwing himself onto the couch he kept there, Harry thought about how he'd ended up in his present situation.

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, father of Draco Malfoy, ex-Death Eater turned spy for the Light and Master Vampire had decided to stake a claim on one, Harry Potter. However, the Savior of the Light wasn't so sure he wanted to be claimed by the vamp, but as past events had proven, he was almost powerless against the commanding presence of the statuesque blonde.

flashback

Lucius' status as a Master Vampire had been revealed during the final battle. The power of Harry's Avada Kedavra pulled magic away from all those on the battlefield and shattered the complex Disillusionment charm that Lord Malfoy had worn for years. As a mortal man it was quite easy to say that Lucius Malfoy was beautiful. However, with his otherworldly vampire nature showing he became breathtaking. He seemed to glow from the inside. An unholy light seemed to suffuse him, causing him to glow from the inside. Even the strands of his hair cast light onto the rubble of Godric's Hollow. Despite being covered in blood and other body fluids, Harry had been drawn to him. A tugging sensation, similar to the feeling of a portkey activating, had taken up residence in the defeater of Voldemort's groin. He had ignored it, believing it to be another ache making itself known after the battle, but deep down Harry had known it was different.

It had taken weeks for the wizarding world to stop celebrating and the trials to get underway. Because of their efforts in the war; both Malfoy males (Narcissa had been 'made an example of', by the Dark Lord because of Draco's failure) and Severus Snape had been pardoned. In large part, due to the testimony of the Order, as well as the memories from the late Headmaster's pensieve kept safe for this purpose. During this time Harry had healed and come to several conclusions, the first being that he would never be satisfied with Ginny Weasley as a partner for the rest of his life. The next was that he was gay, followed directly by the fact that he thought Lucius Malfoy was fit. The first had saddened him, the second had shocked him and the third had frightened him a bit. He was again reminded of his reaction to the elder Malfoy on the battlefield and even now could still feel the faint tugging sensation that had not dissipated with time as he had thought.

Harry ignored the tugging and settled into life as former Hogwart's student and Savior of the Wizarding world. Taking the advice of his friends he decided to travel. He had packed a light sack and sent Hedwig to his first destination. For the next two years, he stayed far away from wizarding England. Other than the random bits of information in letters that reached him while traveling, he had no idea as to what had happened in his absence. Periodically, Harry would send letters to Hermione and Ron letting them know where he was and how he was doing. What he hadn't told his friends was that while on his travels he had developed a predilection for S/M. The tugging bond he felt between himself and the elder Malfoy had faded some, but occasionally he would have an erotic dream that would leave him panting and aching to return to where he knew he belonged, yet continued to deny. Harry returned to Wizarding Britain hale, hearty and confident in his power and set out to open Requiem.

Unfortunately for Harry, he ran into Lucius during one of his many trips to the Ministry to fill out paperwork for the club; permits alone required for the club were a collaborative effort involving the Departments of International Magic Cooperation, Magical Transportation, Magical Games and Sports and Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, which had to then be sent to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for approval before Harry even saw them. He'd just stepped into the elevator when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and the barely there tugging became full on pulling. He looked up and directly into the stormy grey gaze of Lucius Malfoy.

Little had changed over the two years Harry had been gone, the elder Malfoy's appearance still took the younger man's breath away. The elevator seemed to fairly hum with their presence. At first neither man spoke, but Lucius did nod his head in acknowledgment. Harry counted his lucky stars that he had worn robes today, because there would have been no hiding his erection had he just worn muggle clothing. When the elevator finally stopped on his floor he muttered a harried, "Good day," and escaped.

From that time on it seemed that at least once a week Harry would run into Lord Malfoy. Bookstores, coffee shops, and then constantly at the Ministry; each time the conversations (if there were any) were short consisting of monosyllable replies from both. Though Harry was sure that the heated stares he felt as they parted made up for any of the things that Lucius did not say. Through the grapevine he discovered that Lucius had been given back his position as a Hogwart's governor and had used his influence with the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures to change some of the laws that were unfair to so called 'dangerous creatures.'

During one of the only conversations between the young entrepreneur and the elder Malfoy, Harry discussed his time abroad. He told him about the continents he had visited and how his favorite had been South America. In return Lucius revealed how he gone to see his family after so many years of hiding who and what he was from wizarding society. During their meetings they skirted around the attraction issue and Harry made it a practice of Apparating home immediately and almost wanking himself raw. Not once had he broached the topic of the tugging that had been present since that day on the battlefield. However, that came to a head following a recent meeting in Knockturn Alley.

Harry exited _The Satin Gates of Hell_, a shop specializing in bondage equipment, and was hurrying to the nearest floo point when he ran headlong into someone. Noticing of the long strands of white blonde hair and the build he realized he'd just smacked into Lucius. Taking a step back, Harry looked up, and was treated to the Master Vampire that Malfoy had been revealed as on the battlefield, hair unbound and silver eyes glowing with inner fire. The tugging became a pulse low in his groin and he immediately closed the space between them without thinking.

"Mr. Potter, how," Lucius raised a brow, "interesting to see you this evening in Knockturn Alley." He stepped back a bit and noticed young Potter carrying a bag, emblazoned with the shop's logo. "Doing a little _personal_ shopping, were you?"

Harry looked at Lucius and bit his lip. _Has his voice always been so darkly seductive_, he thought while trying to reign himself in. Malfoy's voice had always been a turn on, but in his current appearance, the voice seemed to have a stronger effect on him. "I've been getting things for the club I'm opening," Harry responded hoping that his voice wasn't too breathy. He held up the small bag and it was delved into before he could pull it back. Lucius smirked as his hands grabbed onto something and he pulled out the one thing that made The Boy Who Defeated Voldemort flush even hotter. A collar, and more importantly to the club owner, his collar. Jet black satin on one side, brushed velvet on the other and a heavy clasp at the back with scrollwork on both sides. Harry had had it custom ordered and was planning to add protection spells to it when he got home, but seeing it in Lucius' hands made him hope for other things.

Rubbing the fabric between his thumb and forefinger the Master Vampire though about the many nights he'd lain awake thinking about the young savior of the Wizarding world. His vampire nature saw the boy as his mate and if nothing else a wonderful meal to be consumed. His more human side saw that power sat well on the wizard and he was using it to mark his own place in the world. The collar however, made Lucius think of other things. Things best left to the late hours of the night. Things that he had thought would have frightened the defeater of Voldemort, but after his present discovery, perhaps not. Taking a chance he closed the gap, moving closer into Harry's personal space.

"Is this yours?" Lucius asked rubbing the material again. Harry's eyes never left the collar. He nodded.

"Interesting," the former Death Eater purred. "And just what would you be needing it for?"

Harry risked a quick glimpse up and saw that the senior Malfoy was looking directly at him. He wanted to look away and keep staring at the same time. "So that when I'm on the dungeon floor…" he trailed off, blushing.

"Yes," the purr became a rumbling growl shivering along Harry's spine. Lucius inched even closer, casting a wandless Notice Me Not spell on their alcove to prevent interruption.

"So customers will know I'm taken," Harry responded quietly. Lucius almost dropped the collar at the thought that Harry already had a lover. _Well, not for long_, he thought.

"And are you taken?" He made himself ask.

"No." The answer so quietly given, Lucius almost missed it.

Lucius thought about how often he'd seen the petite savior since the final battle. How in the past few weeks he'd gotten to know him. He knew this young man was his mate; the only thing that was truly left was for said young man to give himself freely. Deciding to make the decision easier, he leaned down until his eyes met Harry's, never breaking contact, he bought his face closer until his nose was buried in the crook where the shoulder met the neck. The dark wizard delighted in the shiver that went through the younger man, and held back from sampling what was so clearly being offered, only just when Harry tilted his head in invitation. Instead he inhaled Harry's scent, licked a long, slow line up to his ear and bit down hard enough to cause a gasp and small moan to escape. Reigning himself in the vampire took a step back.

"Good," he purred darkly and with the soft pop of Apparition he was gone.

end flashback

Staring at the ceiling the young wizard trailed his hand up his neck where Lucius had run his tongue remembering. His hard-on assured him that his body definitely remembered. He rose from the couch intending to make use of his own club to relieve some of his present sexual frustration. With a quick spell he cast a glamour to change his eye color, took a potion to lengthen his hair and used some pancake makeup to cover his scar. This followed by a quick change of clothes and Harry was ready.

Dressed in a leather half harness and a pair of leather pants with denim chaps, his hair braided tightly and secured with a thong, Harry made a striking picture, even among the already beautiful people there. Leaving the office he skirted the edge of the dance floor again and headed down to the dungeon.

Two off duty Aurors had been hired to work as dungeon masters. One was stationed at the entrance and the other worked the floor unknown to the patrons. Harry identified himself to the bouncer at the door and went in.

Despite its name the room was not dark and dank. Instead, it was cozily lit with floating candles both at eye level (for those wanting to do waxplay) and higher. _The Satin Gates of Hell _had been responsible for outfitting and designing the space and they'd done a brilliant job. There were suspension sets, cages, punishment walls and even a medical setup. Two lofts, one in each corner, were above eye level so that others could watch the entire floor if that was their wish. While one was already in use another was emptying and Harry made a beeline for it. Sure that he could ward the area for as long as it took him to relieve himself, he climbed the steps.

A hand along his waist and a voice purring in his ear gave him pause, "Do you have any idea how hard you are to find?" he felt the scrape of fangs along his lobe. The hardness in his groin became an ache.

Lucius.

Casting a more complicated Confundus/Notice Me Not spell on the area Harry tried to turn in the arms of his captor, but was stopped as the hands began to ease him forward until he was right in front of the bar running along the edge of the loft. Lucius' hands roamed up from his hips, over the straps of his harness and plucked one of the newly pierced nipples, causing the young man in his arms to gasp and press himself along the railing of the loft, trying to relieve some of the tension in his cock.

Leaning back, Harry stretched against the long line of Lucius and felt the dark wizard's erection pressing between the cheeks of his ass. The heated presence letting him know this desire wasn't one-sided. When the fingers reached his mouth, Harry licked and then sucked one digit into his month, tonguing the pad of it and nipping at the tip as it was pulled out. His skin felt at once hot and then cold as he thought about what he was doing.

He was being fondled by Lucius Malfoy, he was thinking about letting the older man fuck and maybe bite him, if the blonde was so inclined. He nudged the cock pressed against him and was rewarded with a soft grunt and moan. The hands trailed down his torso, dropping back to his wait and to the buttons holding the fly of his pants closed. Looking down, Harry watched as the hands unsnapped each button baring the small patch of hair at the top of his groin. The hand, so much paler than his own, reached in and gathered his bollocks and cock and guided them through the open flaps. With the first stroke Harry let out a strangled moan before he bit down on his bottom lip holding it in.

The hand around his cock squeezed this side of painful in a downward glide. "I want to hear you," the voice behind him rumbled, "let it all out." Another bite on his lobe and then a tongue to sooth away the hurt had him letting out a gasping moan that he wasn't sure came from himself or the man behind him.

Lucius rubbed himself against the young club owner wishing they could both be naked and raw. He felt the tiny shudders that wracked Harry's slight frame every time he stroked him, and it was all he could do not to bend him over the rail and stroke in.

Harry felt as if he were drowning and falling at the same time. He was being stroked off in his own club, in the dungeon for Merlin's sake, by Lucius Malfoy, Master Vampire, ex-Death Eater and dark wizard.

Lucius knew he wouldn't be satisfied with the stroking for much longer, the need to be buried inside the young man was warring with his need to mark and claim him for his own. For a moment the Master Vampire tried to rationalize what he was feeling. Did he harbor any feelings for the man writhing in his arms? Had he ever? Was he at the mercy of his nature? Then he remembered the two years that Harry had been gone. He remembered seeing him each year in Diagon Alley as he had grown up. How he had questioned Draco about him often. Was this love? Lucius finally admitted to himself that this must be. He had felt loss when Narcissa had been killed, but it did not compare to how his heart had torn when he had received word that Harry had left the Wizarding world, if only for a while. Mentally he snorted at his ruminations, Lucius Malfoy done in by love.

Giving up on all thoughts of proper decorum, Lucius pulled the trousers down enough to allow him access to the small pucker concealed between the cheeks of Harry's ass. From inside his cloak Lucius pulled a vial of lube, removing the top one-handed, he coated the fingers of his right hand while still gripping Harry's hip with his left and moved towards the rosette.

Harry grunted slightly at the first touch, but still pressed insistently back against the fingers until the first digit slipped in to the knuckle. He began panting as the finger moved ever so slowly in and out a few times before the next was added. By the time Lucius had worked his way up to three fingers he wasn't sure he would be able to get inside Harry before he exploded. When the young wizard squeaked as he nudged against his prostate, Lucius resolved to remedy that issue as soon as possible. Removing his hand from Harry's hip, he began to work at his own zipper, sliding it down slowly, as to not unman himself in his haste to fuck the man in front of him.

Finally free, he rubbed his cock along the crevice separating him from Harry's slick hole and felt his desire spike even higher as Harry canted his hips in invitation. The elder Malfoy began to slowly breach young wizard and work his way in, with each inch that slid in Harry seemed to come apart a little more. His throaty whimpers and moans fed the vampire's passion as he continued to pierce Harry.

Lucius gave a small shout when he was fully sheathed in Harry. He withdrew slowly and snapped his hips forward, burying himself once more. Harry gave a little moaning shriek as the movement sawed over his prostate and thrust back to get more of this pleasure. Reaching around, Lucius wrapped one hand around the young wizard's leaking cock and continued his earlier stroking, timing it with his thrusts.

As a rhythm was established, Lucius eyed the shoulders and neck in front of him. He'd not fed in anticipation of marking the wizard as his, and it was almost upon them. He bent down, licking the neck again and feeling a satisfied hum rumble in his chest when Harry tilted his head offering him better access. Balls slapping against Harry's backside, cock squeezed in its sheathe, Lucius gave a final thrust and spilled into Harry while sinking his fangs into the flesh in front of him.

Harry's world had been slowly spinning away and he felt his cock dribbling as Lucius stroked him harder and firmer. When the Master Vampire came it triggered Harry's own orgasm. The piercing of his skin with Lucius' bite made his sight flash white and pushed the aftershocks of his orgasm higher.

As Lucius released Harry's neck, the bite oozed blood for a few moments until Lucius flicked his tongue over the two punctures speeding their closing. The flesh underneath however remained an angry purplish red, that the Master Vampire smirked at. _Finally mine_, he thought feeling a knot of tension he had not realized was there release.

Harry's knees shook and he could feel the warm and sticky trail that Lucius' seed left. He felt the vampire shift behind him and slowly pull out. But the hand that had stroked him to completion slid to his hip and tightened slightly, letting him rest his weight against the body behind him. The young wizard sighed and wondered what happened next.

Lucius let his head fall forward onto the shoulder he'd just sampled and contemplated his next move. Loosening his grip enough to let Harry turn gave Lucius a moment to do up the buttons on his trousers and compose himself. Looking down into bright hazel eyes that seemed to look as apprehensive as he felt, they both spoke."

"Lucius, I..."

"Harry…"

They both fell silent. Harry's braid was starting to come undone and the boy's lips were swollen from being bitten, and Lucius knew he'd never seen a more beautiful sight. He shifted closer wanting to sample him again, but knowing that even if felt like Harry, the young man didn't look like it. Lifting his wand the older wizard cast a _finite_ and smiled when the color bled back into the eyes he was familiar with.

"Mr. Malfoy, I…" the club owner started only to be silenced by his lover.

"I think you can call me Lucius, given our present situation," he smirked.

"How did you know I would be here?" Harry asked. Slowly he shifted forward his body seemingly draw of its own accord.

"Where else would you be on opening night?" One blonde brow winged up.

Heart pounding Harry hoped that what had just happened would be more than a one time occurrence. If the war had taught him nothing else, it had taught him to live for the moment. He knew that what he felt for Malfoy was far more complex than just a passing fancy. Dare he hope this was love?

As Harry considered what he was feeling, Lucius had grabbed his hands and was leading him away from the loft, out of the dungeon and through the upper level to his office behind the bar. Standing in the center of his office, Harry, was surprised by how small it felt with the Master Vampire taking up so much space. Lucius didn't tower over the younger man, so much as his presence was simply overwhelming. Feeling himself hardening again under the piercing grey gaze, Harry wondered if it were possible to die of embarrassment.

Lucius could feel his own need to possess rearing its head and knew he wasn't to far away from making use of the couch and dragging Harry to him, but first…

Pulling the collar from within his robes he showed it to Harry. He had added protective runes and a charm that would function as both a portkey and mark of ownership for his love. Showing it to Harry, he gathered the young man's braid in his free hand and drew him in. "This is highly unusual," Lucius murmured to both himself and the man in his arms. "Do you believe in instinct, Harry?"

"Instinct, do you mean like a gut feeling?" Lucius nodded. "Then yes, I do."

"Right now I'm going to go with instinct." Releasing the braid, Lucius wound the soft collar around his neck.

"And what is your instinct telling you?" Harry asked faintly as he felt the hands closing the clasp and the small spell was whispered, tightening the fabric bringing it flush against his skin, the charm warming against his skin.

Bending down until he was eye level, lord of Malfoy Manor said clearly, "That you and I are made for each other, that I am yours as much as you are mine. And what is mine, I protect and keep with me always." He ran his nose along Harry's cheek, inhaling his lover's scent until he reached the bruised skin of the bite. He ran one fang against the mark, but not hard enough to break the skin.

"Yes," Harry sighed in acceptance and brought his hands up to tangle in the blonde locks. A sense of ease settled over the young wizard as he thought of all he had experienced up to this point. A love over two years in the making, but well worth the wait.


	2. Love Blossoms Anew

Author: tigerblak

Fandom: Harry Potter

Pairing: pre Harry/Lucius

Rating: G

Warnings: Possibly angsty. I'm not good with angst, but I'll give it a shot.

Summary: Narcissa speaks from beyond the grave via the Somei Yoshino in the Malfoy family garden.

Author's Note: Sorry I'm slow with the update of this fic, but I do have a prequel for you. Enjoy.

Love Blooms Again

February in England was not at all what most people thought: cold, desolate and without feeling. Though the wind was chilled and the land sometimes absent of people, it was teeming with life.

"No, it's not empty at all," the patriarch of the Malfoy family muttered as he stared out his window into the gardens.

Looking out from his office window, Lucius Malfoy thought about his life; an introspection he did not give into often. The second War had taken so much from him. He had lost his wife, lost faith in his beliefs, and if he didn't become honest with himself soon, he would also lose his second chance at love.

From his window he could see his final gift to his now dead wife. A Somei Yoshino, the most beautiful of the Cherry Blossom trees was planted in the garden. When opened, the blossoms would display their sheer white beauty, stark against the rest of the still sleeping garden.. Tall, graceful, and commanding, it looked like a symbol of female beauty and dominance. It was no wonder that she had wanted her ashes scattered around the tree.

It was almost Spring again, and Lucius hoped the tree would blossom once more. It hadn't for the past two years and he was a sentimental enough fool to believe that he needed to have Narcissas's blessing before moving on.

The door to his office opened with a quiet snick. "Father?"

Lucius looked away from Narcissa's tree and looked at his son. "Draco." He turned back to the tree.

"Staring at Mother again, I see," Draco entered the room fully, knowing without looking out the window what his father was gazing at.

A non-committal noise was Lucius's only response. "Father," Draco started, "don't you think its time to move on?" He picked a chair close to the lit fireplace.

"What makes you think I haven't moved on?"

"Well, for one you're still rambling around this mansion," the blond waved his hand. "And I've yet to run across anyone stumbling from the master suite."

"Not that you would since you no longer live here," Lucius muttered turning back to the tree.

"I don't need to live here, Father. Besides, I have my ways of finding out what you're up to." Draco smirked at his Father.

"If you think I don't know about your agreement with the house elves you are sadly mistaken." Lucius didn't need to turn back to know that his son's smirk had fallen.

"Well," Draco sniffed, "regardless of what I'm told, you really should get out more. There are lots of eligible women," he looked his father over carefully, "and men out there who would love to get to know you better."

Lucius turned back to his son and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Don't give me that eyebrow," he chastised, "anyone with as much fashion sense as you, let alone any man tying his hair back with ribbon," Draco eyed the offending object, "has reason to question his masculinity."

"I assure you that my virility will never come into question," he eyed said sign of virility and began to question the execution of it.

"Ohhkaay," Draco stood and took a step back thinking maybe he had gone a bit too far,, yet knowing he needed to make a point. "That was a bad choice of words, your orientation then. Even so, you might never get la—"

"Draco!"

"Fine," his son huffed, "but honestly, father. I know you loved mother, and I miss her too, but you've got to move on. She would have wanted you to."

"No she wouldn't," Lucius barked out with a laugh. He thought of Narcissa's jealous streak and wondered what she would have said about him rejoining polite society as a bachelor. Snorting, Lucius imagined her stomping her foot and demanding that he return home to mourn her for at least five years, like a proper widower, and then an additional two for venturing out too soon.

"Okay, so maybe she wouldn't have wanted you to, but this is your life. Mother is gone and though we both miss her, we have to move on," Draco stood and left his father's office, shutting the door just as quietly as he had when he'd entered.

Lucius stared at the spot where his son had been and then turned back to the tree. Soon, he thought.

Two days later, Lucius Malfoy was considering not taking his daylight inhibiting potion and walking into the sunlight. Surely that would be a good enough excuse to get him out of tonight's obligations. He stared down at the list of yet more dignitaries he would have to entertain at yet another boring state dinner. The Minister would be in attendance which meant he couldn't make any excuses to be absent himself. The small niggling part of his mind that surprisingly sounded like his son, insisted that if he had arranged for someone to attend the dinner with him tonight, he might not be facing an evening of boredom. He considered begging off and using his need to feed as an excuse or maybe threatening the dignitaries into leaving early, thus giving him leave to…

"Come home to an empty house," he said to himself, sighing.

"Excuse me, sir?" his secretary asked as she stepped into his office at the ministry.

"Nothing, Irene." He stood and gathered his cloak. "I'm going home and I will return this evening for the dinner." He took the file with the names and information on the people who would be at the dinner that night and left through the floo for his home.

After a light lunch, a shower and a floo call with Draco, who asked about his love life yet again, he was ready to quit the house and leave for the Ministry. Since the floo in his office was closer, Lucius decided to bid 'Narcissa' a good evening before he left and he headed in that direction.

Night had fallen, but his office was only dimly lit by candles, so he could see the faint outline of the tree outside. As he got closer to the window, he could see through the glass that the outline seemed different in the faint light of the moon. The tree had finally bloomed. Casting a _Lumos,_ he walked forward, examined the tree in detail and, for the first time in years, Lucius Malfoy was shocked.

The white petals that had at one time adorned the Sakura had become a deep red color. As he directed the light closer so that he could get a better view, he saw that there was the barest hint of white on the tips of the flowers. The tree had bloomed, and in her own way, Narcissa had sent a message to her husband.

Lucius stared up at the sky and could have sworn he heard Narcissa's laugh. "Maybe it is time," he whispered to himself. "Mr. Potter, I hope you are prepared." He returned to the house, and then with a puff of floo smoke and a spoken word the Lord of Malfoy Manor was gone.


End file.
